Lack of physiotherapy is putting the health of children with physical difficulties at risk, a group of parents has said.

The families of children with scoliosis – curvature of the spine – say Sirona Care and Health is failing to supply experienced physiotherapists to Claremont School in Bristol.

The complaints follow a decision by Sirona to reduce the number of physiotherapists at the school and instead instruct unqualified teaching staff how to manage scoliosis.

After being contacted by the BBC, Sirona commissioned a review of its children’s therapy service. A spokesperson said its priority was “the safety and wellbeing of the children and families we support”.

One of the parents, Helen, has a 15-year-old son named Sam who was born with severe cerebral palsy. As part of that condition, his spine is curved.

Helen said his scoliosis could be managed with appropriate physiotherapy and equipment at Claremont, a special school.

But the mother, from Bedminster in Bristol, claims community interest company Sirona made his scoliosis far worse from May 2024 to March 2025 as his school chair had been set up the wrong way round.

She said that his ribs looked stretched in X-rays by March 2025 and that his whole torso was becoming deformed.

“I just watched his back concertina,” she said. “Over a 10-month period, Sam’s spine went from 20 degrees to over 90 degrees and after a catastrophic collapse, he’s now in excruciating pain. It was entirely preventable.”

She added: “Sam is in excruciating pain because his scoliosis means the top of his pelvis is rubbing on his bottom rib.

“This in itself won’t necessarily shorten his life, but our choice, as parents, is to decide whether to leave him in agony for the rest of his life, or let him undergo a lengthy and risky operation which he may not survive.”

Sirona announced a reduction of physiotherapists at Claremont in June 2024, saying it would boost home visits.

Parents have told the BBC the decision led to experienced physiotherapists handing in their notice.

Helen wrote a complaint about the changes to Sirona but it described her letter as “aggressive and abusive”.

She said that, as a consequence, she withdrew her consent for Sirona to treat Sam.

Instead, she said she is using her life savings to pay for a private physiotherapist, costing £90 an hour.

Another parent, Julian, said he was also unfairly accused of being aggressive by Sirona.

He said a formal investigation had been carried out into his daughter Gemma’s care but he “didn’t see any action” so continued to contact the company.

Julian said he and his partner then received a letter saying Sirona had been informed they had been “aggressive and threatening” towards the therapy team.

Sirona told them they were being given a “second stage warning about modifying their daughter’s care”, Julian said.

The company also told the parents that their daughter would no longer be seen in their home and would be seen only at school, with a member of staff present in order to “protect the therapists”, the father said.

He added: “We were not being threatening. When we challenged them on [the warning] they could not give us a solid example of why that was done.”

Julian also said because the family had “stepped in” to make sure her physio treatment had continued, they had manage to avoid complication such as acute pain, bowel blockages, interrupted sleep and seizures which said could “all be life threatening”.

The group of parents, whose children all attend Claremont, have now written an open letter that criticises Sirona’s cuts to school physiotherapy.

The letter says a number of parents have contacted Sirona and the special education needs team at Bristol City Council to raise their concerns about the “profoundly negative impact on the development of our children at Claremont”.

‘Deeply concerned’

The letter continues: “The absence of therapists on a daily basis is not acceptable and is having a detrimental effect on them and represents a cut in service.”

The parents say all of their children have ECHPs – an education, care and health plan, which is a legal document outlining their needs, including therapy, and which unlocks funding.

“As their parents, we want to know what is happening with this funding,” the parents write.

“What is being done to reinstate the provision our children need?

“We are also deeply concerned about the poor communication regarding the changes, which has come third hand without any explanation.”

‘We will act’

Sirona declined to comment about the families’ allegations but told the BBC its external review, which began on 1 December, is expected to run until mid-February.

In a statement, spokesperson Mary Lewis, Sirona’s chief nursing officer, said: “We have ensured that all concerns raised with us have been formally recorded and will be shared with the review team, and we are working closely with our partners throughout the process.

“The inquiry will look in depth at how the service is operating across all settings. It will identify what is working well, what may need to improve, and whether any factors within Sirona or the wider system could impact the delivery of the standard of care we expect.

“An Appreciative Inquiry is a structured, transparent and strengths-based method that examines the experience of those receiving care and those providing it.

“We will act on the findings of the review. Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of the children and families we support, and ensuring our staff have the conditions they need to deliver high-quality care.”

British singer Example faced backlash after repeatedly demanding audiences stand and dance during performances on tour with boyband JLS, including telling a pregnant disabled fan she looked stupid for remaining seated. The incident at London’s O2 Arena sparked widespread criticism on social media and raised questions about accessibility awareness at live music events.

Elliot John Gleave, 43, who performs under the stage name Example, serves as the opening act for JLS on The Club Is Alive: 2025 Hits Tour. A video posted to TikTok showing the singer complaining about seated audience members has been viewed more than 45,000 times, according to the concertgoer who shared it.

The pregnant and disabled fan, posting as kxrstyyx on TikTok, wrote that getting called out by Example was not on her bingo card for 2025. The video captured the singer asking what audience members were doing and saying they looked stupid for not standing. The fan explained she was 27 weeks pregnant and disabled, making it necessary for her to remain seated during the performance.

Multiple concertgoers reported similar incidents at different venues throughout the tour. One attendee said that in Nottingham, Example complained the whole time about people being seated. Another wrote that he displayed similar behavior in Cardiff, appearing angry that everyone was sitting down.

The disabled fan revealed in comments on her TikTok post that at one point during the show, she held up her walking aid to indicate why she needed to sit. However, Example reportedly proceeded to call her stupid despite seeing the mobility device. This detail emerged when another follower commented that they remembered the camera showing her holding up the walking aid.

Supporters flooded the comments section expressing sympathy and sharing their own concerns. One person who identified as having chronic pain said they felt terrible for the concertgoer when the incident happened and expressed relief about not having front row seats. A wheelchair user commented that their boyfriend joked about Example telling them to get up and dance.

Another attendee at the O2 show stated they kept telling their group they didn’t like Example because he was being really rude during his performance. The consistent reports from multiple venues suggest the singer’s behavior represented a pattern rather than an isolated incident.

Example achieved commercial success between 2010 and 2013 with hits including Won’t Go Quietly, Kickstarts and Changed the Way You Kiss Me. The singer also had a number one single with Stay Awake and featured on Calvin Harris’s track We’ll Be Coming Back. His recent appearance on The Masked Singer as Bear helped remind audiences of his musical catalog and won him new fans.

The fan later told The Sun that after the concert, she met JLS members who treated her kindly. She said the boyband members were absolutely lovely, mentioning how they loved that she had painted her walking aid in matching colors. The contrast between Example’s behavior and JLS’s response highlighted different approaches to fan interaction and inclusivity.

JLS consists of Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes and JB Gill. The group became one of Britain’s biggest pop acts after finishing second on The X Factor in 2008 behind Alexandra Burke. They have sold over 10 million albums, scored five number one singles and won two BRIT Awards along with five MOBO Awards.

The group initially split in 2013 but reunited in 2020, launching their Beat Again Tour in 2021 after pandemic delays. Their subsequent tours in 2021 and 2023 filled arenas across the United Kingdom. The Club Is Alive: 2025 Hits Tour features their classic hits including Beat Again, Everybody In Love, The Club Is Alive, Love You and She Makes Me Wanna.

Example was personally invited by JLS to serve as special guest support for each show on the tour. In promotional materials, Example expressed excitement about performing on huge arena stages, describing performing as his bread and butter. He acknowledged that all the performers are getting older but promised the energy from everyone would be worth the ticket price.

The controversy highlights ongoing challenges regarding accessibility and awareness at live events. Many venues offer accessible seating and accommodations for disabled patrons, yet performers sometimes fail to recognize that not everyone can participate in standing or dancing. Medical conditions, disabilities, pregnancy and other factors legitimately prevent some audience members from standing for extended periods.

Concert etiquette has evolved as awareness of disabilities has increased, with many artists making efforts to be inclusive of fans with various accessibility needs. Some performers specifically acknowledge seated sections and encourage audience participation without requiring physical standing. Others create designated accessible areas where fans can enjoy shows without pressure to stand.

Social media has amplified accountability for performers whose comments or actions exclude disabled fans. Previous incidents involving artists demanding audiences stand have sparked similar backlash, with disability advocates emphasizing that invisible disabilities mean performers cannot determine who is capable of standing simply by looking at them.

The incident raises questions about whether Example will adjust his performance approach for remaining tour dates. Artists have previously apologized and changed their behavior after receiving feedback about accessibility issues. However, Example has not publicly commented on the criticism or the specific incident involving the pregnant disabled fan.

The tour continues through early 2025 with dates scheduled across multiple cities. JLS has built a reputation for engaging with fans and creating an inclusive atmosphere at their shows. Their positive interaction with the disabled fan after Example’s comments suggests the headlining act maintains different standards for fan treatment.

Disability rights advocates emphasize that accessibility extends beyond physical accommodations like ramps and designated seating. True inclusion requires awareness from all performers and staff that audience members have diverse needs and capabilities. Comments that shame or pressure people to stand can create hostile environments for disabled patrons who already face barriers to attending live events.

The video evidence and multiple witness accounts from different venues establish a pattern suggesting Example’s comments were not accidental or taken out of context. The repetition across multiple cities indicates the singer made similar demands of audiences throughout the tour rather than this being a single misunderstanding.

Music industry professionals note that opening acts face challenges energizing crowds who primarily came to see the headliner. However, most artists recognize that demanding physical responses from audiences proves counterproductive and potentially excludes fans with legitimate reasons for remaining seated. Building energy typically requires reading the room and meeting audiences where they are rather than imposing requirements.

The controversy may affect Example’s reputation and future booking opportunities as both venues and artists increasingly prioritize accessibility and inclusive fan experiences. Social media documentation of the incidents ensures the behavior remains part of public record, potentially influencing how promoters and fellow artists view collaborating with the singer.

For the pregnant disabled fan who shared the video, the experience of being called out and called stupid by a performer she paid to see left a negative impression that overshadowed the positive aspects of meeting JLS afterward. Her decision to share the video on TikTok brought attention to accessibility issues at concerts and generated conversations about how performers should treat all audience members with respect regardless of their ability to stand.

A designer who was told “disabled people don’t need fashion” says she felt so angered that she now has an adaptive clothing firm, which appeared on the catwalk at London Fashion Week.

As a student, Hanan Tantush was showcasing customised clothing for disabled people as part of her coursework – after seeing her grandad’s struggles following cancer surgery – when she heard the comment.

“That sentence made me so angry,” she says.

The 23-year-old, from Chester, says she believes the fashion industry has “evolved” but “disability is still treated as a niche”.

Her response was to build up the adaptive fashion firm Intotum – Latin for “as a whole” – which she platformed at London Fashion Week earlier this year.

‘Empowered not pitied’

The idea had been some years in the making after Hanan noticed her grandad Michael Myers struggle to find trousers he could wear with his stoma bag.

“Every pair of trousers rubbed against it or pressed on the bag,” she says.

“The only thing he could wear without pain was jogging bottoms and he hated how they looked.”

Her grandad had been a Merchant Navy engineer who wore his uniform with pride, she says.

“Every memory I have of him is of him looking sharp. Trousers pressed, shirt tucked in, shoes polished.”

But the stoma bag, she says, was affecting his lifestyle, accessibility and clothing.

“He’d often say how difficult it was to manage his stoma bag in public toilets, especially at football, and over time he stopped playing bowls for the same reason – something he’d done for 40 years.

“Seeing clothing strip away his confidence like that broke something in me.”

Hanan has since been involved in making and promoting stylish clothes tailored for people with different disabilities and neurodivergences, saying she wants them to “feel empowered, not pitied”.

About 17 million people in the UK have a disability – a quarter of the population, external – but Hanan says “disability is still treated as a niche”.

“When big brands launch ‘adaptive’ lines, they’re often just tracksuits in different colours,” she says.

“People tell me they want to feel stylish, to walk into a room and be seen for their outfit, not their condition.”

Items included wheelchair trench coats and capes, side-opening trousers and clothes with magnetic or Velcro fastenings instead of buttons.

After her grandad’s experiences, there are also items with discreet pockets for stoma bags.

“He tells everyone about my business. He knows he inspired it all,” she says.

Hanan wants to broaden her collections and eventually have branches in stores, saying: “Fashion – the very thing that should help us express who we are – has shut out an entire community.”

She says increasing the ability for disabled people to “dress without thinking twice about what they can or can’t wear” has prompted customers to contact her.

Some of those who have got in touch have told her “it’s the first time they’ve dressed independently in years”.

“That’s what success looks like,” Hanan says.

“Stop them!” I shouted, as I sped through London’s Finsbury Park station in my electric wheelchair. I was surrounded by commuters. Nobody intervened.

I had been travelling alone and was checking my route home in a passageway, when suddenly I felt someone looming over me.

I’d looked up to find a man standing inches from my face, staring down at me. He was motionless, and looking me dead in the eye. I froze – I thought I was about to be mugged.

The man smirked, stuck out his tongue, and pulled a vacant expression. Then I noticed someone was filming me from behind. As I spun around in my wheelchair, more of their group joined them through the turnstiles.

Furious, I gave chase, hoping to make them delete the video. But just as I got close, the men ran up a stairwell, laughing. That was the last I ever saw of them.

I’d become the latest victim of the “tongue-out” TikTok prank, where people stick their tongue out at strangers while pulling a face, and film their reaction – but this time twisted to mock me for my disability.

The situation felt familiar. A year ago, I wrote about facing TikTok-inspired disability harassment from school kids who shouted “Timmy” at me outside my local train station.

This referenced a disabled character from satire series South Park, who uses a wheelchair and can only shout his own name, usually loudly and uncontrollably. Revived on TikTok decades later and stripped of comedic context, mimicking Timmy has again become a way to mock disabled people.

That time I chose to call the kids out directly in conversation – hoping it could be a learning experience to challenge their prejudices.

This time, in Finsbury Park, I took action.

Fed up of feeling powerless, I immediately reported the incident as a hate crime – now defined in the UK by law to include perceived hostile acts toward protected characteristics like disability.

The British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed my experience was similar to a spate of other incidents that seemed to have been fuelled by the TikTok craze.

People being targeted in person by those chasing online clout is an area of “growing concern”, according to Ciaran O’Connor from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a think tank focusing on online hate.

He says social media algorithms “prioritise shock, confrontations and adversarial encounters” – or, as many of us know it, “ragebait” – over empathy.

Online hate ‘to go viral’

The original tongue-out TikTok prank, copied by the men who targeted me, isn’t quite as sinister as you might expect. It was popularised by young US influencers like Pink Cardigan this summer, who amassed millions of likes by staring, tongue out, at bemused customers through shop and diner windows, external.

The comedy hinges on the reactions of people who “aren’t in on the joke”, explains Aidan Walker, whose videos about internet culture have amassed millions of views on TikTok. The tongue-out trend, like many of its kind, began as something “obnoxious and inconsiderate, rather than inherently hostile”, he says.

When I was harassed, the adult men, seemingly in their early 20s, chose to use the trend to mock disability – perhaps to set apart their upload. They likely “performed with the intention to go viral”, adds Mr O’Connor.

I am yet to find footage of my incident uploaded to TikTok, or other social media platforms – but this does not diminish the likely intent.

TikTok says the vast majority of content uploaded of the trend is not targeted or hateful and therefore does not violate its policies.

The platform’s community guidelines prohibit hate speech, hateful behaviour, or promotion of hateful ideologies, including discrimination on the basis of disability.

When BBC News reported a video of teenagers appearing to target a man with Down’s syndrome by adopting the tongue-out pose outside his window, moderators removed the video.

Reluctance to report

Mr O’Connor says viral trends have been twisted to target other minority groups too, including LGBTQ+ people and migrants, with content creators motivated by an endless hunt for engagement.

Home Office statistics, external for England and Wales show hate crime continued to rise this year, driven by racial and religious offences.

While recorded disability hate crime fell by 8% in 2025, this follows sharp rises in recent years, and disability charities warn of a distorted picture.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last year described disability hate crime, external as one of the “most pervasive and under-reported” forms of discrimination.

The apparent fall in disability hate crime reports reflects “a lack of confidence in reporting, not a reduction in hostility”, says Ali Gunn from disability charity United Response.

The charity’s research suggests, external just 29.9% of disabled people report crimes against them, with only 2% of public order offences resulting in convictions – the lowest of any minority group.

I experienced these difficulties first hand when reporting my incident. Despite the definition of disability hate crime covering a broad range of perceived hostile acts – far beyond verbal abuse – I was initially told the case would not be pursued because CCTV would not have audio and no ableist or derogatory language had been used.

I pushed back – emphasising the targeted intimidation of being surrounded in my wheelchair, and asked whether the CCTV had been studied. It was only then my case was re-opened and taken on by another officer.

The footage has since been analysed, with stills of the suspects passed on to BTP’s investigative team.

TfL apologised for the incident and the way BTP initially handled it. TfL commissioner Andy Lord wrote to me to express his disgust at the harassment I faced and affirm TfL’s commitment to improving the reporting and awareness of disability hate crime.

Journey to change?

The need to tackle hate crime on and around public transport is clear. TfL data shows overall hate crime reports on its services rose 39.7% between 2022/23 and 2024/25, with a slight drop between 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Last month, comedian Rosie Jones, who has cerebral palsy, had wine thrown over her during what she described as an “ableist and homophobic attack”, external on the train home from a gig with fellow comic Lee Peart.

“They mocked our voices, shouted slurs at us and even threw a wine bottle (plastic, thankfully),” Jones wrote in a post on Instagram. “It was a stark reminder that my cerebral palsy makes me stand out, and is often used as a weapon against me.”

Since my experience at Finsbury Park, what has stayed with me, perhaps more than the filming, is how passersby failed to step in.

It made me realise that bystanders can feel incredibly conflicted about taking action.

It is this hesitance to step in that lies at the heart of TfL’s new Act Like A Friend campaign, which encourages passengers to strike up a conversation with the person being targeted, and behave as if they know each other.

The network encourages customers to report all incidents they believe are motivated by hate and hostility to the police, including hate filming.

“Everyone deserves to be and feel safe when travelling on our network,” says Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director of security policing enforcement. “The behaviour that Alex describes is deplorable”.

United Response’s Gunn called hate filming a growing and deeply distressing trend for disabled people.

He urged social media companies to “strengthen moderation” around viral challenges by improving systems for victims or their advocates to flag harmful content.

This includes not only removing offending content, but ensuring users who post it face tougher sanctions.

“Being mocked or secretly filmed strips people of dignity and reinforces the message that public spaces aren’t safe or welcoming,” he says. “These incidents sit alongside more overt forms of disability hate crimes and share the same underlying problem of hostility and exclusion.”

Four months on from what happened, I am quite dispirited. While I’m pleased I took action as far as I could, the harassment I’ve experienced in recent years has left me acutely aware that the fight now takes place on two fronts – online and in the real world.

So, what to do? Clearly, there needs to be bigger-picture change to tackle hate in either sphere. But on an individual level, nothing is more powerful than looking out for each other, beyond screens. Hate thrives on invisibility.

A charity supporting people with disabilities, which was opened by the Queen Mother (then Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York), has announced it will close after more than 90 years.

The Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People (QEF), in Leatherhead, was founded in 1934 by Dame Georgiana Buller and Stanley Evans, and supports nearly 10,000 people a year.

The charity said in a statement: “It is with immense sadness and regret we inform you that QEF will commence a wind down programme from 11 November.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last year to try and save the charity and improve its finances.

“Unfortunately there wasn’t a viable solution that met all the necessary requirements to overcome the challenging financial situation QEF faced.”

The charity added the wind-down programme was expected to take 28 days to allow time for alternative placements to be located for residential clients at its Care and Rehabilitation Centre.

Following this, the charity said QEF intended to file for administration.

“It has been our privilege to support disabled people for more than 90 years, providing expert services that have changed many lives, and we are deeply saddened that it cannot continue,” the charity said.

‘Cornerstone of our community’

Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom and Ewell, said she was “deeply saddened” over the closure of QEF.

“QEF has been a cornerstone of our community in Leatherhead, offering wonderful care that has seen thousands of people rebuild their independence,” she said.

“I saw first-hand the incredible work of their staff when I visited earlier this year, and my thoughts right now are with them and their clients during what will likely be a very difficult time.”

Maguire added she was in contact with the charity to “seek urgent clarity on the implications of the closure”.

A deaf man mistakenly believed he had tested positive for HIV because he couldn’t get access to an interpreter in hospital.

Richard MacQueen, a father-of-three from Dundee, was being treated in A&E for pneumonia and misunderstood the nurse when he was given his test results.

The 42-year-old is profoundly deaf and British Sign Language (BSL) is his first language.

He said he had asked for an interpreter in hospital several times.

“My father was there. He was really the only hearing person in my family who was willing to help but he doesn’t have advanced BSL skills at all and I really needed an interpreter,” he said.

“The doctor brought a nurse, who was a very nice person, but she had very basic sign language skills.

“He used her as a communication method and they were talking about my HIV results, and she did this thumbs up sign and I thought, ‘Well what does that mean?’ Does that mean that I have it? That I am HIV positive, or I’m OK because I’m negative?”

Mr McQueen was confused and upset.

“I was worried about whether I had HIV or not, whether I would face a lifetime of treatment, whether I might die from this. I had no idea how I was going to tell my family.”

Richard says it took two days for a qualified interpreter to arrive and explain he had been given the all-clear.

“If an interpreter was provided initially, I would never have had to have gone through all that,” he said.

Richard is now sharing his experience to launch a new app – the first of its kind in the UK – which links deaf people and BSL users with interpreters.

He hopes it will mean mistakes like the one he experienced won’t happen to anyone else.

SignPort, which has been described as ‘Uber for BSL interpreters’, was developed by the Edinburgh-based charity Deaf Action with the support of a Scottish government innovation scheme.

Richard, who took part in a 10-month pilot for the app, says it’s a huge step forward for the deaf community.

“You can use it all the way from the workplace to a wedding. It’s going to make a massive change for us as deaf people. Finally, we can connect directly to interpreters in one place.

“Always in the past we had to consult with a number of different agencies and service providers – email them, search all this stuff out for ourselves, try to contact interpreters direct and you were really in the dark.

“It was very time consuming, very stressful because you never knew if you were going to have an interpreter.”

The new app brings everything into one place. Users can easily see which interpreters are available.

According to Scotland’s 2022 Census,more than 100,000 people in Scotland can speak BSL. And up to a million have some form of hearing loss.

Phillip Gerrard, chief executive of Deaf Action, said the app would be a “game changer” for BSL users.

“Scotland is indeed leading the way in providing this innovative service. Scotland has a really great tradition of innovation in many areas, but especially for the deaf community and by the deaf community.

“This is going to make a huge difference, not only for Scotland but for the whole of the UK, because as soon as the rest of the UK see what’s here they’re going to want the same.”

The app is free to download and use for deaf BSL users and interpreters, with interpreter fees paid by the person or organisation who makes the booking.

It comes after a review commissioned by the Scottish government in 2019 found the struggle to find interpreters wasn’t always due to a shortage of trained professionals, but because the existing booking system was fragmented and time consuming, leading to missed appointments and barriers to education.

SignPort took two years to develop, with Deaf Action working alongside technology firm Burrotech through the Scottish government’s CivTech programme.

The Scottish government is encouraging businesses to sign up to the app.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This app builds on our commitment to make Scotland a more inclusive place for deaf people. It also represents exactly the kind of innovation we want to see through our CivTech programme – technology that transforms lives and removes barriers.

“This app addresses challenges that have persisted for too long. As a social enterprise, SignPort will reinvest in the very communities it serves, creating lasting change beyond improving bookings. This is community-led innovation at its best.”